On Tuesday, May 13, 2025, the Supreme Court of Georgia accepted the voluntary surrender of attorney Alan Christopher Norton’s law license following his admission of forging a judicial officer’s signature. Norton faced disciplinary action after an indictment in Tennessee on December 20, 2024.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of Alan Christopher Norton,” with case no. S25Y0899.
The indictment charged Norton with three counts of forgery and three counts of criminal simulation. These charges stemmed from his unauthorized signing of a Chancellor’s name from Tennessee’s 12th Judicial Circuit on three emergency orders in a conservatorship case where Norton represented a party. Norton acknowledged that he lacked permission to sign the orders and admitted to forging the Chancellor’s signature.
By forging the signatures, Norton violated Rule 8.4(a)(4) of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct, which prohibits lawyers from engaging in professional conduct involving fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation. The maximum penalty for this violation is disbarment. Norton’s voluntary surrender of his license is equivalent to disbarment, as noted in prior Georgia cases and Bar Rule 1.0(s). In his petition, Norton requested that the Court accept the surrender, and the State Bar of Georgia supported this action.
The Supreme Court of Georgia agreed to accept Norton’s petition. Norton was reminded of his obligations under Bar Rule 4-219 (b) following the surrender.
The Disposition states:
“Having reviewed the petition, we agree to accept Norton’s petition for voluntary surrender of his license.”
According to Avvo.com, Mr. Norton is a family attorney in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He acquired his law license in Georgia in 2005.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
